Hangzhou Resolution announcement ceremony
On November 2nd, 2013, members from the China Organ Transplant Committee (OTC) announced the Hangzhou Resolution in People’s Great Hall of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China (Figure 1). According to the Hangzhou Resolution, organ transplant hospitals must strictly comply with the “Regulation on Human Organ Procurement and Allocation (Interim)” (hereinafter referred to as “the Regulation”) that was promulgated by National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) on August 15, 2013 to ensure the source of the organs for transplantation meeting the commonly accepted ethical standards in the world. The regulation also mandates the use of China Organ Transplant Response System (COTRS) by organ transplant hospitals to ensure the fairness, justice and transparency of organ procurement and organ allocation.
The announcement of Hangzhou Resolution represents a historic moment in Chinese transplant society that China is determined to establish a transparent organ donation and transplantation system which will meet the fundamental principles of World Health Organization (WHO), The Transplantation Society (TTS) and the Declaration of Istanbul.
The Hangzhou Resolution was highly appraised by international transplant community. Dr. Francis Delmonico, the president of TTS, stated in his presentation at 2013 Chinese Transplant Congress that TTS wishes to embrace the participation of those professionals and transplant centers that have signed the Hangzhou Resolution at international congresses and initiate academic interaction with TTS leaders. Dr. Ronald W. Busuttil, the Chief of the Division of Liver and Pancreas Transplant at UCLA, said during his interview with Hepatobiliary Surgery and Nutrition (HBSN) that things are getting better in China and he is totally supportive for China’s new national program.
Acknowledgements
Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
